Back part molding machine with improved cement activating means



J. L. FORMA BACK PART MOLDING MACHINE WITH IMPROVED CEMENT ACTIVATING MF'ANS Jan. 2, 1968 Filed Sept. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II? V FIG.4

Jan. 2, 1968 Filed Sept. 20, 1965 J. L. FORMA 3,360,815 BACK PART MOLDING MACHINE WITH IMPROVED CEMENT ACTIVATING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jam; .-Z.I0rm

United States Patent Ofiice 3,360,815 Patented Jan. 2 1968 3,360,815 BACK PART MOLDING MACHINE WITH IM- PROVED CEMENT ACTIVATIN G MEANS James L. Forma, Andover, Mass., assignor to Lowell Molding Corporation, Lawrence, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Sept. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 488,461 11 Claims. (Cl. 1212.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This machine, like that shown in my United States Patent 3,328,815, granted July 4, 1967, has a rigid form, having a flat top surface corresponding in shape to the heel end of an insole, and a lateral surface correspond ing in shape to the back part of a shoe upper, which is adapted to support an insolcand an upper with the lasting margin of the upper projecting from the exposed surface of the insole. An articulated back part mold is arranged rearwardly of the rigid form for movement forwardly into engagement with the upper to conform it to the rigid form and wipers are mounted above the back part mold for movement forwardly following conformation of the upper to the rigid form to close on the lasting margin and fold it into engagement with the heel seat area of the insole. The machine is designed especially for lasting the margin of the upper into engagement with a non-tacky, quick-setting adhesive previously applied to the heel end of the insoleand for this purpose a heater is pivotally mounted laterally of the rigid form and movable from the lateral position to a position above the insole to melt the adhesive just before the wipers are brought into operation.

This invention has for its principal objects to improve the operation of the aforesaid machine by rendering the adhesive fluid sooner than the prior machine thereby enabling the operator to increase its production and to provide for confining the heat substantially to the area with which the marginal edge of the upper will have engagement when folded into contact with the insole. An-

other object is to provide improved gauge means for supporting the upper at the proper height on the form prior to the back molding operation, which gauge means is mounted adjacent the rear end of the' rigid form rather than on the rigid form and hence usable with any rigid form regardless of its size, thus avoiding modification of the rigid form and multiplication of parts.

As herein illustrated, the invention relates broadly to adhesively joining parts, at least one of which is precoated with a non-tacky, heat-activatable adhesive and embodies means operative, by relative movement, to bring the parts into engagement for joining, means movable from a posi tion laterally of the parts bearing the adhesive to a position confronting the adhesive bearing surface for activating the adhesive just before the parts are moved into engagement, and of means operable concomitantly with movement of the last-named means to the confronting position to direct a stream of hot gaseous medium against the adhesive. The means movable from the lateral position to the confronting position for effecting activation of the adhesive is a heater over and through which a stream of gaseous medium is blown so as to impinge upon the adhesive-coated surface. The heater is preferably a glowing element or coil or its equivalent and there is means operable as the heater moves into operative position to eject a blast of air across the glowing coil of the heater into engagement with the adhesive-coated margin. The heating element is mounted in a hood having a top and sides but which is open at the bottom to expose the coil to the surface of the insole and there is a manifold on the hood to which air pressure is supplied and orifices in the hood through which the air from the manifold passes over the heated coil to impinge upon the insole.

The invention resides also in an improved gauge for holding the lasting margin of the upper at the proper height on the rigid form comprising a lever pivotally mounted rearwardly of the form with one end forwardly of the pivot adjacent the back of the form and the other end remote therefrom. A flat gauge plate is mounted on the one end and has a concave end adapted to embrace the curvature of the rigid form at the back. There is means on the back part mold having contact with the other end of the lever in the retracted position which holds the one end of the lever up to the form. The aforesaid means is movable forwardly along the lever beyond the pivot as the back part mold moves into operative engagement with the rigid form and a spring is engaged with the lever rearwardly of the pivot operative, when the back part mold moves forwardly, to tilt the lever in a direction to lower the gauge plate from the rigid form.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of a back part molding machine such as disclosed in my pending application, showing the back part mold spaced rearwardly from the rigid form and the improved height gauge in its operative position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the height gauge together with its supporting bracket removedfrom the machine;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section through the machine in a plane above the bottom of the mold parts showing the heater and support therefor inplan view with certain parts broken away; p FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5: and a FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

As disclosed in the prior application, there is a support 10, only a portion of which is shown herein, in the form of a rotor mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, about the periphery of which are-mounted a plurality of back part molding assemblies or units 12, each of which is adapted to be loaded when at the top position of the rotor and in this position to shape the back part of an upper to a rigid form, fold the lasting margin of the upper into engagement with an insole. and to cause adherence of the lasting margin to the insole. Each unit 12 comprises a rigid inner or male form 14 having a fiat upper surface 16 corresponding in shape to the heel end of the insole and a lateral surface 18 corresponding in shape to the heel end of a shoe which are adapted to receive and hold an insole 20 and an upper 22. An articulated back part mold 24, sometimes referred to as an outer form or female mold, is mounted rearwardly of the form 14 for movement relative thereto from a rearward inoperative position, as shown in FIG. 1, to a forward operative position in engagement with the upper 22 for conforming the upper to the lateral surface of the form 14. For this purpose the articulated mold 24 is mounted on the forward end of a piston rod 26, the rear end of which is secured to a piston mounted in a cylinder in conventional manner. As shown in the aforesaid patent, each unit embodies a cylinder, piston and rod by means of which the articulated mold is moved. Wiper members 28 are mounted above the back part mold 24 for movement forwardly over the rigid form and these wiper members 28, which are normally wide open when the back part mold 24 is retracted, are closed toward each other after the back part mold 24 is engaged with the rigid form to fold the lasting margin In of the upper into engagement with the margin of the insole.

A-s disclosed in the prior application, the insole 20 was precoated with adhesive a of a kind which is normally non-tacky at atmospheric temperatures and conditions. The coating may be applied to the entire area of the heel end of the insole or may be restricted to the marginal portion thereof. In that machine there was a heater movable into a position above the insole prior to the wiper operation to activate the adhesive just before the lasting margin was laid down into engagement with the margin of the insole. In accordance with this invention, a heater 30 (FIG. 7) is employed which is supported on the machine frame adjacent the mold assembly at the top position so as to be movable from a position at one side of the rigid form at the top position, to a position above the heel seat surface of the rigid form, and then vertically downward to a position close to the upper surface of an insole resting on the heel seat surface but without touching it for the purpose of melting the adhesive thereon. As herein illustrated, the heater comprises a pair of rearwardly converging rods 3232 mounted in the open lower side of a hood 34 having side walls 36 and a top wall 38. The rods 32'-32 are connected toa suitable source of current and are continuously heated so that under normal operating conditions they glow.

Under ordinary conditions even when the heater is lowered to a position such that the glowing rods 32-52 are quite close to the surface of the insole, an appreciable time is required to soften the adhesive sufficiently to insure a good bond and this delay slows the operator down so that during the course of the day his production and his income is noticeably affected. A skilled operator wants to work at top speed and it is the purpose of this invention to expedite the softening of the adhesive so that the operator does not have to pause appreciably to allow the adhesive to become soft enough to perform the lasting operation. To this end the hood is provided in the top wall 38, containing a plurality of orifices 40 which converge rearwardly in straight lines along the upper sides of the rods 32 and diverge at a slight angle toward the outer sides of the rods 32 (FIG. 6). A manifold 42 is fastened by a bolt 44 to the top 38 of the hood and compressed air is supplied to the manifold through a conduit 46 at the instant that the heater is moved into position above the insole. The air entering the manifold passes through the orifices 40 at a slight angle to the upper sides of the heater rods 32, is heated by the rods and deflected outwardly over the outer sides of the rods and downwardly onto the marginal edge of the insole thus quickly heating and rendering the adhesive soft enough to proceed with the lasting operation without pause. By locating the orifices at a slight angle so that the air is ejected downwardly and outwardly, the heating is confined to the marginal edge of the insole which is the critical area.

The heater is supported for movement into and out of operative position at one end of a bar 48, conveniently by means of the same bolt 44 that attaches the manifold 42 .to the hood. The opposite end of the bar is secured on the forward end of a spindle 50, the rear end of which is rotatably mounted in a bracket 52 containing a socket 54 into which the rear end of the spindle is inserted. A coil spring 56 is mounted on the spindle 50 un- 4 der tension with one end fixed to the spindle by a screw 58 and the other end seated in a hole 60 in the end of the bracket so that the spindle 50 is constantly biased in a clockwise direction so as to lift the bar 48 away from the bottom of the rigid form.

The bracket 52 is pivotally mounted for rotation about a vertically disposed pin 62 supported in a bracket plate 64 fastened in a horizontal position to a portion of the frame of the machine shown at 66. Rearwardly of the pin 62 the bracket is provided with a pivot pin 68 and the forward end of a rod 70 is connected to the pin and is operable, by means of an air cylinder, to swing the bracket 52 about the axis of the pin 62 from a lateral position at one side of the rigid form to a position vertically above the rigid form. As more fully explained in the prior application, the rod 70 has fastened to it a finger 74 which extends through a slot in the bracket 52 and is engageable with a part 76 slidable on the rod 70 as the latter swings the spindle 50 into a position such that the heater is above the form to rotate the spindle, to bring the heater downwardly into a position closely parallel to the rigid form as shown in FIG. 4.

In accordance with this invention, a valve V1 is mounted by means of a bracket plate 78 on the bracket plate 64, so that the valve actuating plunger 80 is in a position to be shifted by engagement of the bracket 52 therewith when the latter is moved into a position such that the heater is directly above the insole. The valve V1 is conected to the manifold by way of the conductor 46 and is supplied with pressure fluid through a coupling 82 and conduct-or 84 from a fluid motor M1 or other suitable source of air pressure. This may be the same pump that effects movement of the rod 70 so as to swing the heater into and out of operative position.

While the heating rods 32-32 as herein shown are straight and converge rearwardly it is of course within the scope of the invention to employ a horseshoe-shaped rod as illustrated in the aforesaid application. The forward ends of the rods 3232 are secured by screw bolts 85 to a flange 86 at the lower open side of the hood. Three flange-like projections 87, two of which are at the forward end of the heater and one of which is at the rear end and located symmetrically with respect to the median line, are provided in which are threaded gauge screws 88 for limiting the lowermost position of the heater with respect to the surface of the insole.

To insure the proper heightwise position of the upper on the rigid form 14 there is provided herein an improved height gauge which comprises a bar 92 (FIG. 1) pivotally supported between posts 94-94 on a pin 96 fixed at its ends between the posts 9494. The posts 94--94 are secured at their lower ends to a plate 98 which is bolted to the floor of the unit 12 rearwardly of the rigid form 14 in such a position that the forward end of the arm 92 is closely adjacent the rear end of the rigid form 14 and the rear end is located below the articulated back mold 24. At the forward end of the arm 92 there is a vertically disposed, downwardly extending bearing sleeve 99 containing a hole 97. The lower end of the sleeve has an external threaded portion and an end wall containing a central hole 107. A stem 100 is slidably fitted into the upper end of the sleeve and contains at its lower end a threaded axial hole 101. A screw bolt 102 having a head 103 is inserted through the hole 107 and screwed into the hole 101. Rotation of the screw bolt will, accordingly, raise and lower the stem in the sleeve. The screw bolt is retained by a threaded cap 104 mounted on the lower end of the sleeve and the cap contains a hole 105 through which an implement may be inserted to engage the head and rotate the same after backing off the cap. By tightening the cap the stern may be fixed in its adjusted position. The stem 100 has at its upper end flat shoulders 106-406 on which is mounted a flat plate 108 by means of a slot 110 in the plate and a headed screw 112 inserted through the slot and screwed into the upper end of the stern. A nonmetallic gauge plate, for example of Teflon, having a forward-concave work-engaging edge 116 is fastened to the top of the plate 114 by screws 118. As will be seen by reference to FIG. 1, the concave forward end of the gauge plate, by engagement with the rear end of the rigid form 14, provides means for gauging and supporting the upper edge of the upper at the proper heightwise position on the form.

When the mold 24 is in its inoperative position it supports the lever 92 with its forward end and hence with .the gauge plate 114 in its operative position by engagement of a roller 120' with the rear end of the lever 92. When the mold 24 moves forwardly of the pivot pin 94 which supports the arm 92, the latter is tilted downwardly to an inoperative position by a coiled spring 122 disposed under compression between the lower side of the lever 92 and the base 98.

The gauge provides for adjusting the gauge plate 117 heightwise of the rigid form 14 and forwardly and rearwardly with respect to its rear surface for different size and style shoes and affords the convenience that only a single gauge is required for all of the lasts as contrasted with the prior machine wherein each last was provided with a gauge which required that each last be specially machined.

As was pointed out previously, the provision of a heater for activating a preapplied adhesive just before folding the lasting margin into engagement with the insole is illus trated in my prior application. This invention resides in improving the capacity of the prior machine by supplying a blast of air to the heating element concomitantly with its movement into a position above the insole thus providing for substantially instantaneous activation of the preapplied normally non-tacky adhesive. It is within the scope of this invention to employ this same expedient in activating a preapplied adhesive to other portions of shoes, for example to the toe and side portions of insoles in toe lasting and side lasting machines and to folding operations and their equivalent.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a shoe machine for operating on the end of a shoe, a support supporting a shoe assembly comprising an insole to an end of which has been applied a heat-activatable adhesive and an upper with the lasting margin projecting from the exposed surface of the insole, wipers for folding the lasting margin at the end against the end of the insole, a heater mounted laterally of the support for movement from said lateral position to a position above and spaced from the adhesive-coated end of the insole, a heater corresponding substantially in shape to the end of the insole to which the heat-activatable adhesive is applied, and means operable as the heater is moved into said position above the end of the insole to direct a stream of gaseous medium over the heater against the adhesive-coated surface.

2. In a machine for shaping the end of a shoe, a support supporting a shoe assembly comprising an insole to an end of which has been applied a heat-activatable adhesive and an upper with the lasting margin projecting from the exposed surface of the insole, wipers for folding the lasting margin at the end against the end of the insole, a heater mounted laterally of the support for movement from said lateral position to a position above and spaced from the adhesive-coated end of the insole, said heater embodying a glowing heating element shaped to confront the end of the insole, means operable to move the heater into a position above the end of the insole, and means operable as the heater is moved into said position above the insole to direct a stream of gaseous medium across the glowing heating element onto the adhesive-coated surface of the insole.

3. In a machine for operating on the end of a shoe,

a support supporting a shoe assembly comprising an insole to an end of which has been applied a heat-activatable adhesive and an upper with a lasting margin projecting from the exposed surface of the insole, wipers for folding the lasting margin at the end against the insole, a heater mounted laterally of the support for movement from said lateral position to a position above and spaced from the adhesive-coated end, said heater embodying a glowing heating element shaped to confront the end of the insole, a hood to which the heater element is mounted, said hood enclosing the top and sides and leaving the bottom open, and means for supplying a gaseous medium under pressure to the hood above the heating element concomitantly with movement of the heating element into a position above the end of the insole to cause a flow of said medium downwardly over the heating element onto the adhesive-coated surface of the end of the insole.

4. In a shoe machine for operating on the end of a shoe, a support supporting a shoe assembly comprising an insole to an end of which has been applied a heat- -activatable adhesive and an upper with the lasting margin projecting from the exposed surface of the insole, wipers for folding the lasting margin at the end against the end of the insole, a heater mounted laterally of the support for movement from said lateral position to a position above and spaced from the adhesive-coated end, said heater embodying a glowing heating element shaped to confront the end of the insole, a hood to which the heating element is mounted, said hood enclosing the top and sides of the heating element but leaving the bottom side exposed, a manifold mounted at the top of the hood for supplying a gaseous medium under pressure to the upper side of the heating element, and means associated with the manifold operable concomitantly with the movement of the heater into a position above the end of the insole to supply a gaseous medium under pressure of said manifold.

5. In aback part molding machine for shaping the heel end of a shoe, a support for supporting a shoe assembly comprising an insole to the heel end of which has been applied a heat-activatable adhesive and an upper with the lasting margin projecting from the exposed surface of the insole, a back part mold movable from a rearward position to a position of engagement with the upper to shape the back part of the upper to the support, wipers for folding the lasting margin at the heel end against the heel end of the insole following the back part shaping operation, a heater mounted laterally of the support for movement from said lateral position to a position above and spaced from the adhesive-coated end of the insole prior to lasting of the lasting margin into engagement therewith, said heater embodying a glowing heating element having parts shaped to confront the heel end of the insole, a hood on which the heating element is supported, said hood having a top and sides enclosing the heater and being open at the bottom to expose the heater, said top of the hood containing orifices situated above the heating element and inclined toward the outer sides thereof, a manifold mounted on the hood above the orifices, and means for supplying a gaseous medium to the manifold under pressure concomitantly with the movement of the heater into a position above the end of the insole.

6. In a back part molding machine, a form having a fiat top for supporting an insole and a lateral surface for supporting an upper, a back part mold for conforming the upper to the lateral surface of the form, and a height gauge for supporting the upper on the lateral surface with its margin projecting beyond the exposed surface of the insole, comprising a lever pivotally mounted rearwardly of the form with the end forwardly of its pivot adjacent the back of the form and the other end rearwardly thereof, a gauge plate mounted on the one end, said gauge plate having a concave edge adapted to embrace the contour of the form at the back part, means on the back part mold having contact with the lever I at the forward end of the arm for moving the gauge plate vertically on the arm and other means for moving the gauge plate longitudinally of the arm.

'8. In a machine according to claim 6, a stem supported in the forward end of the arm, an adjusting screw operable to raise and lower the stem relative to the arm, a fiat plate at the upper end of the stem on which the gauge plate'is mounted, said plate containing a slot, and a screw inserted through the slot and threaded into the 'stem.

9. A machine according to claim 7, comprising a fluidoperable motor operable to effect movement of the heater from its lateral position to said position above the insole.

10. -A machine according to claim 7, wherein the heater is supported for swinging movement about a vertical axis and rotational movement about a horizontal axis, there is a fluid-operable motor for effecting swinging movement about said vertical axis, and a part operable during the swinging movement to effect rotational movement about said horizontal axis, said swinging and rota tional movement being operative to move said heater to a position vertically above but not touching the adhesivecoated surface to be activated.

11. A machine according to claim 7, comprising a fluid operable motor operable to effect movement of the heater from its lateral position to said position above the insole, means for supplying a pressure fluid to said heater and means operable as the heater moves to said position above the insole to effect operation of said last means to direct a blast of said presser fluid through the heater against the adhesive-coated surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,483 9/1936 Engel 127.1 2,221,841 11/1940 Medwick et al. 12-53.5 2,255,000 9/1941 Haber et al. l2-12.5 2,260,713 10/ 1941 Heaton l2--145 2,719,992 10/ 1955 MacDonald 12--53.5 2,875,455 3/1959 Antell 1220 3,132,362 5/1964 Stapleton 12-535 X PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

